Impatient patient



[this entry has been written under the influence of vicodin, I'm sorry]

My right knee and I have had a love-hate relationship ever since I had some arthroscopic surgery 13 years ago to remove the remnants of my ACL and some fragments of meniscii. We survived nicely with the use of an external support for skiing until I fell down stairs at my parents' in February. Ultimately, I decided it was time to do something before I actually needed a full knee replacement. The picture above details how I spent my last week. Good times.

I can report now that I am up and walking without crutches, but will be in a brace (crotch to ankle) for another 5 weeks (more good times). I'm also coming out of the vicodin stupor...what a nasty drug. I don't understand how anyone could abuse it. Who thinks a high is worth constipation and nausea (TMI, i'm sorry).

I've watched every movie on Showtime, HBO and TBS; caught every update about MJ, Farrah, Billy Mays and Sanford as soon as they broke and followed everyone else's lives on Twitter and Facebook. Thanks for keeping me entertained, guys! (And for the record, Harold and Kumar is REALLY funny when you are jacked up on hydrocodone).

And, I've also thought about the healthcare system in this country (or rather the lack of it), especially after watching 'SICKO'. I'm lucky. I have two health insurance plans (only because either one alone doesn't cover our needs) and I'm fairly savvy about paperwork and medical issues. That said, I'm already overwhelmed with insurance issues...When do you need to call to get pre-authorization? Why is one office visit covered in full; but the next one isn't? How many recorded options does one have to sit through to finally get to speak to a real person? (these insurance companies are getting smart--pressing '0', even if they didn't instruct you to, no longer takes you to a human being).

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I can't imagine the trauma of seeking care if I were poor, non-English speaking, or naive. I can't believe that I get one standard of care while another gets a lesser. (Case in point: I have unlimited physical therapy torture visits. My son (who had ACL surgery last December under his father's insurance) was only allowed four visits). Life was much better before we lived in a world run by HMOs.

We need single payer....anything else will just complicate this mess even more. I would be much happier if some of my premiums went to provide health care for another American, rather than to support some wonk at an HMO that can hold other people's lives in his hands.